US6412503B1 - Magnetically coupled substrate roller - Google Patents

Magnetically coupled substrate roller Download PDF

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Publication number
US6412503B1
US6412503B1 US09/583,145 US58314500A US6412503B1 US 6412503 B1 US6412503 B1 US 6412503B1 US 58314500 A US58314500 A US 58314500A US 6412503 B1 US6412503 B1 US 6412503B1
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United States
Prior art keywords
magnet
tank
roller
shaft
pocket
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Fee Related, expires
Application number
US09/583,145
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English (en)
Inventor
Alexander Lerner
Manoocher Birang
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Applied Materials Inc
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Applied Materials Inc
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Publication date
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Priority to US09/583,145 priority Critical patent/US6412503B1/en
Assigned to APPLIED MATERIALS, INC. reassignment APPLIED MATERIALS, INC. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: BROWN, BRIAN J., FISHKIN, BORIS, FRANKEL, JONATHAN S., LERNER, ALEXANDER
Assigned to APPLIED MATERIALS, INC. reassignment APPLIED MATERIALS, INC. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: BIRANG, MANOOCHER, LERNER, ALEXANDER
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US6412503B1 publication Critical patent/US6412503B1/en
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/67005—Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/67011—Apparatus for manufacture or treatment
    • H01L21/67017—Apparatus for fluid treatment
    • H01L21/67028—Apparatus for fluid treatment for cleaning followed by drying, rinsing, stripping, blasting or the like
    • H01L21/6704—Apparatus for fluid treatment for cleaning followed by drying, rinsing, stripping, blasting or the like for wet cleaning or washing
    • H01L21/67057—Apparatus for fluid treatment for cleaning followed by drying, rinsing, stripping, blasting or the like for wet cleaning or washing with the semiconductor substrates being dipped in baths or vessels
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S134/00—Cleaning and liquid contact with solids
    • Y10S134/902—Semiconductor wafer

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to the rotation of thin disks. More specifically, the present invention relates to an improved roller for rotating semiconductor substrates within a tank of fluid.
  • a conventional method for cleaning particles from semiconductor wafers submerged within a tank of fluid is known as megasonic cleaning.
  • a transducer oscillates between compressed and strained states at a rate near 1 MHz.
  • the megasonic oscillation output by the transducer is coupled to the fluid contained within the tank, causing pressure oscillation therein.
  • pressure in the fluid oscillates between positive and negative, cavitations or bubbles form in the liquid during negative pressure and collapse or shrink during positive pressure. This bubble oscillation gently cleans the surface of the wafer.
  • megasonic cleaners experience a number of limitations. For instance, the intensity of the cleaning energy experienced across the wafer's surface often decreases with increased distance from the transducer. This energy gradient necessitates wafer rotation in order to achieve uniform cleaning across the entire wafer surface.
  • a wafer is positioned on a pair of rollers each of which are mounted to a shaft that extends through the wall of the megasonic tank. Outside the megasonic tank each shaft is coupled to a motor that when energized causes the shaft, and the roller attached thereto, to rotate. As the rollers rotate, so does the wafer positioned thereon.
  • roller assemblies facilitate uniform wafer cleaning across the entire surface of the wafer, they also experience several drawbacks, such as causing cleaning fluid leakage.
  • rubber seals are used to seal between the roller shaft and the wall of the tank.
  • the heat and chemistry of the tank fluid degrade the seals and leaking inevitably occurs. Fluid leaking undesirably increases the systems operating costs. To reduce this cost, the leaking fluid is sometimes collected, filtered and recirculated to the tank.
  • the degrading seals and leaking chemistry present a potential particle source, and, because leaking rates are random, introduce variables to the cleaning process. Eventually the seals have to be replaced causing downtime costs, as well as labor and replacement parts costs.
  • the present invention overcomes the problems described above, by providing a roller which magnetically couples a driver for rotating the roller (i.e., an inventive roller/driver assembly). Because the roller and driver are magnetically coupled, no openings are required in the walls of the fluid filled processing tank, and no leakage occurs.
  • an outwardly extending pocket is formed in or sealed to a wall of the processing tank, and a shaft of the inventive roller/driver assembly is supported by the pocket. This configuration has been found to provide excellent positional accuracy.
  • a magnet positioned on the roller is axially offset from a magnet positioned on the driver, the driver magnet being positioned outside (i.e., in a direction away from the tank) relative to the roller magnet.
  • the axial offset causes the roller magnet to be attracted outwardly, away from the tank, and thus continuously pulls the roller shaft into the pocket.
  • no rings or locking devices are required to lock either the roller assembly or the driver assembly in place, and no metal parts are exposed to the cleaning fluid chemistry, therefore corrosion may be avoided.
  • FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a megasonic tank that employs the inventive roller assembly
  • FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of one aspect of the inventive roller assembly which eliminates fluid leakage.
  • FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a megasonic tank system 11 .
  • the megasonic tank system 11 comprises a tank 13 (e.g., a plastic tank), having a transducer 14 positioned along the bottom thereof (either inside or outside the tank 13 ).
  • the transducer 14 may be equal in length to the diameter of a wafer W to be cleaned thereby.
  • Above the transducer 14 a first inventive roller assembly 15 a and a second inventive roller assembly 15 b are positioned to vertically support a wafer W in line with the transducer 14 .
  • a stabilizing mechanism 17 is positioned outside of the point along the wafer W's edge which is closest to the transducer 14 , and is therefore outside of the transducer 14 's highest energy field.
  • the stabilizing mechanism 17 may be positioned so as to contact the wafer W at any point that will sufficiently reduce or prevent the wafer W from wobbling.
  • , 15 b and the stabilizing mechanism 17 each comprise a groove for supporting a wafer W with minimal contact.
  • the inventive roller assemblies 15 a , 15 b which support the wafer W are described in detail with reference to FIG. 2 .
  • FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of an embodiment of the inventive roller assembly 15 which may eliminate fluid leakage.
  • the inventive roller assembly 15 comprises a wafer support 19 having a groove 21 in which the wafer W (FIG. 1) is positioned. To enhance friction between the wafer support 19 and the wafer W, the groove 21 may be bead blasted, knurled or may have a plurality of small holes drilled therein, along the portion of the wafer support 19 which contacts the wafer W.
  • the inventive roller assembly 15 further comprises a shaft 23 having a magnet 25 coupled thereto.
  • the shaft magnet 25 may be shaped like a sleeve which extends around the entire circumference of the shaft 23 , although the shaft magnet 25 may be any size or shape as long as sufficient coupling exists between the shaft magnet(s) 25 and an external drive magnet 27 , to achieve rotation of the shaft 23 .
  • the shaft magnet 25 is enclosed in a plastic enclosure 29 which is sealed to the shaft 23 .
  • the shaft 23 of the inventive roller assembly 15 is mounted in an outwardly extending housing or pocket 31 .
  • the pocket 31 may be integral with a wall 33 of the megasonic tank 13 , or may be a separate housing, preferably plastic, which seals around an opening in the wall 33 of the megasonic tank 13 , as shown in FIG. 2 .
  • the pocket 31 and the inventive roller assembly 15 are sized so that the inventive roller assembly 15 is firmly supported by the pocket 31 , but is able to rotate therein.
  • the pocket 31 also supports a driver assembly 35 which is external to the pocket 31 .
  • the driver assembly 35 comprises the drive magnet 27 which may comprise a sleeve which extends around the entire circumference of the pocket 31 , although the drive magnet(s) 27 may be any size or shape as long as sufficient coupling exists between the drive magnet 27 and the shaft magnet 25 .
  • the shaft magnet 25 and the drive magnet 27 are of opposite polarity so that an attractive force exists therebetween. The attractive force is strong enough to rotate the roller assembly 15 when the driver assembly 35 rotates.
  • the drive magnet 27 may be mounted between an outer metal housing 37 and an inner plastic housing 39 , which encircles the pocket 31 , and the inner plastic housing 39 may be sized so as to be firmly supported by the pocket 31 but able to rotate therearound.
  • the driver assembly 35 is further coupled to a driving mechanism such as a motor 41 .
  • the motor 41 is energized and begins rotating the driver assembly 35 .
  • the magnetic coupling between the drive magnet 27 and the shaft magnet 25 causes the inventive roller assembly 15 to rotate as the driver assembly 35 rotates. Friction between the groove 21 and the wafer W positioned therein causes the wafer W to rotate.
  • the transducer 14 is energized and begins oscillating at a megasonic rate. Megasonic energy is therefore coupled to the fluid and travels upward therethrough to contact the surface of the wafer W.
  • the stabilizing mechanism 17 passively rotates therewith, while reducing and preferably preventing wafer wobble. Energy from the transducer 14 cleans the rotating wafer W as is known in the art.
  • the level of cleaning fluid contained within the megasonic tank 13 varies less than that experienced by megasonic tanks which employ conventional rollers. Accordingly, the inventive roller assembly 15 may add significant value to the megasonic tank 13 , and to any automated cleaning/processing system in which the megasonic tank 13 is employed.
US09/583,145 1999-06-01 2000-05-30 Magnetically coupled substrate roller Expired - Fee Related US6412503B1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US09/583,145 US6412503B1 (en) 1999-06-01 2000-05-30 Magnetically coupled substrate roller

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US13690999P 1999-06-01 1999-06-01
US09/583,145 US6412503B1 (en) 1999-06-01 2000-05-30 Magnetically coupled substrate roller

Publications (1)

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US6412503B1 true US6412503B1 (en) 2002-07-02

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Country Status (4)

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US (1) US6412503B1 (fr)
EP (1) EP1058295A3 (fr)
JP (1) JP4731659B2 (fr)
TW (1) TW531453B (fr)

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20030000034A1 (en) * 2001-05-18 2003-01-02 Welsh Christopher M. Apparatus and method for substrate preparation implementing a surface tension reducing process
US6619304B2 (en) * 2001-09-13 2003-09-16 Micell Technologies, Inc. Pressure chamber assembly including non-mechanical drive means
US20050109373A1 (en) * 1999-06-01 2005-05-26 Brown Brian J. Roller that avoids substrate slippage
US20090159100A1 (en) * 2007-12-24 2009-06-25 Texas Instruments Incorporated Two-piece magnetically coupled substrate roller used in megasonic cleaning process
US20090320875A1 (en) * 2008-06-25 2009-12-31 Applied Materials, Inc. Dual chamber megasonic cleaner
US8967935B2 (en) 2011-07-06 2015-03-03 Tel Nexx, Inc. Substrate loader and unloader
US9421617B2 (en) 2011-06-22 2016-08-23 Tel Nexx, Inc. Substrate holder

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN105088666A (zh) * 2015-09-21 2015-11-25 核工业理化工程研究院 滚筒式清洗装置的密封传动结构
FR3108265B1 (fr) * 2020-03-20 2023-04-21 Metalizz Dispositif de nettoyage de plusieurs pièces, par immersion simultanée dans une solution spécifique soumise à des ondes ultrasonores

Citations (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3964957A (en) * 1973-12-19 1976-06-22 Monsanto Company Apparatus for processing semiconductor wafers
US4052577A (en) * 1975-09-02 1977-10-04 I-T-E Imperial Corporation Magnetically driven ring arc runner for circuit interrupter
US5058611A (en) * 1989-03-27 1991-10-22 Sonicor Instrument Corporation Process and apparatus for the ultrasonic cleaning of a printing cylinder
US5090432A (en) * 1990-10-16 1992-02-25 Verteq, Inc. Single wafer megasonic semiconductor wafer processing system
US5672212A (en) * 1994-07-01 1997-09-30 Texas Instruments Incorporated Rotational megasonic cleaner/etcher for wafers
US6119708A (en) * 1998-11-11 2000-09-19 Applied Materials, Inc. Method and apparatus for cleaning the edge of a thin disc
US6181040B1 (en) * 1997-08-25 2001-01-30 Sulzer Electronics Ag Magnetically journalled rotational arrangement
US6247889B1 (en) * 1998-07-31 2001-06-19 Bks Lab. Ltd. Multiple-shaft power transmission apparatus and wafer transport arm link
US6269548B1 (en) * 1997-06-27 2001-08-07 Ebara Corporation Spin processing apparatus
US6337030B1 (en) * 1997-02-04 2002-01-08 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Wafer processing apparatus, wafer processing method, and SOI wafer fabrication method

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH06182281A (ja) * 1992-12-21 1994-07-05 Kawasaki Steel Corp 浸漬ロールの駆動装置
JPH07227583A (ja) * 1994-02-17 1995-08-29 Ebara Corp 浸漬撹拌式洗浄装置
JPH07313946A (ja) * 1994-05-26 1995-12-05 Hitachi Ltd 磁気ディスク基板の洗浄装置

Patent Citations (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3964957A (en) * 1973-12-19 1976-06-22 Monsanto Company Apparatus for processing semiconductor wafers
US4052577A (en) * 1975-09-02 1977-10-04 I-T-E Imperial Corporation Magnetically driven ring arc runner for circuit interrupter
US5058611A (en) * 1989-03-27 1991-10-22 Sonicor Instrument Corporation Process and apparatus for the ultrasonic cleaning of a printing cylinder
US5090432A (en) * 1990-10-16 1992-02-25 Verteq, Inc. Single wafer megasonic semiconductor wafer processing system
US5672212A (en) * 1994-07-01 1997-09-30 Texas Instruments Incorporated Rotational megasonic cleaner/etcher for wafers
US6337030B1 (en) * 1997-02-04 2002-01-08 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Wafer processing apparatus, wafer processing method, and SOI wafer fabrication method
US6269548B1 (en) * 1997-06-27 2001-08-07 Ebara Corporation Spin processing apparatus
US6181040B1 (en) * 1997-08-25 2001-01-30 Sulzer Electronics Ag Magnetically journalled rotational arrangement
US6247889B1 (en) * 1998-07-31 2001-06-19 Bks Lab. Ltd. Multiple-shaft power transmission apparatus and wafer transport arm link
US6119708A (en) * 1998-11-11 2000-09-19 Applied Materials, Inc. Method and apparatus for cleaning the edge of a thin disc

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20050109373A1 (en) * 1999-06-01 2005-05-26 Brown Brian J. Roller that avoids substrate slippage
US20060189465A1 (en) * 1999-06-01 2006-08-24 Applied Materials, Inc. Roller that avoids substrate slippage
US20030000034A1 (en) * 2001-05-18 2003-01-02 Welsh Christopher M. Apparatus and method for substrate preparation implementing a surface tension reducing process
US7000623B2 (en) * 2001-05-18 2006-02-21 Lam Research Corporation Apparatus and method for substrate preparation implementing a surface tension reducing process
US6619304B2 (en) * 2001-09-13 2003-09-16 Micell Technologies, Inc. Pressure chamber assembly including non-mechanical drive means
US20090159100A1 (en) * 2007-12-24 2009-06-25 Texas Instruments Incorporated Two-piece magnetically coupled substrate roller used in megasonic cleaning process
US20090320875A1 (en) * 2008-06-25 2009-12-31 Applied Materials, Inc. Dual chamber megasonic cleaner
US9421617B2 (en) 2011-06-22 2016-08-23 Tel Nexx, Inc. Substrate holder
US8967935B2 (en) 2011-07-06 2015-03-03 Tel Nexx, Inc. Substrate loader and unloader

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JP4731659B2 (ja) 2011-07-27
EP1058295A3 (fr) 2003-11-12
TW531453B (en) 2003-05-11
JP2001110770A (ja) 2001-04-20
EP1058295A2 (fr) 2000-12-06

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